Friday 9 October 2015

Teacher!

This lady.


One day, about 8 years ago, I decided that I really wanted to sing again, in an organized, teacher-driven way. I was still in my home city of Edmonton, living by West Edmonton Mall. So, I looked in my local Yellow Pages (they still had those then, shut up) and chose a music school that was located in the Mall. Since I didn't drive, it was really easy to get to on the bus. There was my careful vocal education selection criteria. Can I get there easily? 

So, Imagine how damned lucky I felt when I nervously attended my first class with this beautiful person. And then she sang, and I had never heard anyone sing like that in real life. Full on, real, live, opera. I stumbled into a school filled mostly with kids to find one of the greatest singers and the finest voice teacher I've ever known. This lady made me start thinking that maybe, just maybe, I might actually be a good singer; because she thought so. And if a lady with her ability and education thought so, it might be true.

That's where she got her nickname of Teacher--as in "Teacher says I can." And I did. She had me singing Italian, French and German; and, damn it if I wasn't a loud singing soprano after all. She lives in Germany now, teaching music and directing/performing in shows. And I miss her all the time, until today, when she drove on down to see me. Karin Asselstine, my Teacher, you gave me music, some confidence, and best of all, your friendship. I love you.

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